The carriage rocked gently as we made our way through the cobblestone streets. I gazed out the window at the passing buildings, trying to ignore the procession of guards on horseback flanking us on both sides.
"Is all this protection truly necessary, Alistair?" I asked, turning to the elderly man seated across from me. "I feel like I'm part of a royal procession rather than a simple outing to meet family."
Alistair's eyes crinkled with gentle amusement. "The Duke was most insistent, Your Grace. Your condition requires special consideration."
I placed a protective hand over my swollen belly. At five months pregnant, I was showing considerably more than expected, which had prompted Alaric's increasing protectiveness.
"I can still walk perfectly well," I grumbled. "Everyone acts as though I might shatter at any moment."
